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Definition of mutualism in US English:

mutualism

noun

1The doctrine that mutual dependence is necessary to social well-being.

‘Clearly fraternal mutualism was effective for meeting some of the economic needs for many non-whites and poorer members of American society.’

‘The federal government likes to talk about reciprocal obligation and mutualism.’

‘It is a case of mutualism, says Rick Daley, the museum's executive director.’

‘This alternative standard resided in a skilled worker's competence and the mutualism of workplace and union and sanctioned both moderate drinking and a degree of roughness.’

‘Exploitation should be replaced by the mutualism of free producers helping each other and aided by free credit.’

‘The mutualism and fair-mindedness of the sportsman and union man went hand-in-hand.’

‘Idealists believe that they represent the new face of mutualism - a modern form for the ideals of the co-operative movement - while there were those who argued for the benefits of putting local people in control of their hospitals.’

‘It is significant that immigrants invariably chose Irish Catholic friends to act as sponsors where immediate relatives were unavailable, thereby placing these fictive ties on the same level as familial mutualism.’

‘Israeli credit cooperatives are a likely population to generate ideological mutualism for the coops.’

‘The euro does nothing to foster that mutualism.’

‘The closest thing he was capable of was mutualism and even that was a stretch and a rarity.’

1.1Biology Symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved.

‘One of the best-known forms of mutualism involves insects that pollinate a host plant, then deposit offspring that will ultimately consume many of the seeds.’

‘The fungus and alga of the lichen enjoy the symbiotic relationship of mutualism, each giving the other something that is required.’

‘This suggests that the relationship is one of mutualism.’

‘The presence of a commensal parasite that can display mutualism within a clade of known pathogens suggests dynamic evolutionary interactions.’

‘There are numerous other examples of symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism and parasitism between ray-finned fishes and other groups.’